Open AccessFractional Current Flow in the Subsurface Using Electrical Resistivity Method: A Laboratory Approach
Author(s) -
James A. Adegoke,
G.O. Layade,
Temitayo Kadir
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
rmz-materials and geoenvironment/rmz - materials and geoenvironment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1408-7073
pISSN - 1854-7400
DOI - 10.2478/rmzmag-2020-0015
Subject(s) - electrical resistivity and conductivity , electrode , materials science , penetration depth , current (fluid) , penetration (warfare) , composite material , mineralogy , mechanics , geology , mathematics , optics , electrical engineering , chemistry , physics , engineering , oceanography , operations research
The authors describe electrical resistivity method using a laboratory experiment, which was conducted in order to calculate the percentage of current that penetrated each layer of soil arranged in a container using Schlumberger array. Four soil samples arranged in three different set-ups were used. The apparent resistivity obtained was interpreted using curve matching techniques and WinResist iteration yielding types A curve, H curve and A curve, respectively. The interpreted data gave the resistivity of each layer and its thicknesses. The thicknesses obtained from the interpretation were at variance with the actual thicknesses arranged in the container. A multiplier was obtained which serves as a constant in other to obtain the actual thickness. The effective penetration depth of current was determined through the calculated thickness of each layer and the known electrode spacing (AB). The percentage of current that penetrates the layers was found to depend on the electrode spacing as well as the thickness of that layer. Thus, a layer with relatively small thickness has a small percentage of current passing through it compared to a thicker layer.